


Corsairs and Corsets: A Deal to Be Made

by gh03st_writer



Category: Original Work
Genre: As it should be, F/F, Female Character In Command, Or they will be - Freeform, Pirates, dorian and cornelia are in love, ngl every male character in this story is a background character, short story i wrote for class that was sitting around so why not post it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-07
Packaged: 2019-06-06 20:30:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15202865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gh03st_writer/pseuds/gh03st_writer
Summary: During the Golden Age of Piracy, when pirates were more than costume ideas and theme park attractions. Dorian Swan, Captain of the Dutchman’s Whore, is one of the many pirates with a name and reputation to go along with it. Her reputation has gained her attention from every entitled authority figure with a port in their city, a warrant is out for her arrest and quickly making the rounds of every seaport on this side of the globe. Playing a game of cat-and-mouse with the law is something Dorian can’t afford when the location of the treasure she is after happens to be in the possession of one of the most infamous pirates of the day: Black Bart.Cornelia Hemmings, owner of Around the World, is the businesswoman every company wishes they had calling the shots and Dorian’s only shot at getting anywhere close to Black Bart. Dorian needs a job that will get her out of the prying eyes of the authorities and Cornelia needs a crew that will choose gold over guilt.There is a place where the lines of legality and morality blur, The Marooned Sailor is a haven for pirates to grab a drink and a bar fight before setting sail on open waters. A perfect place to strike a deal without asking questions.





	Corsairs and Corsets: A Deal to Be Made

**Author's Note:**

> A short story I had wrote for my creative writing class that I'm pretty happy with so I thought why not post it, ya know. If you're waiting for my other work to update I'm sorry >.>; writing is hard and I'm 100% working on it, just been trying to find the time to sit down and write.

Saltwater and fish fill the air as The Dutchman’s Whore docks and Dorian steps onto the loud port, making her way to The Marooned Sailor; a tavern made by pirates for pirates. Crowds part when she walks, to say she has a reputation would be an understatement. Anyone who sails on open waters knows the name Captain Dorian Swan, Siren of The Dutchman’s Whore.   
Dorian was raised in a good neighborhood with an influential family and everything she ever asked for, but it was never enough. Her parents wanted a son that would be able to inherit the family business; instead, they were given a little girl that wanted nothing more than to make them proud. Pirating became her answer and her savior. Now, she walks down the docks as if she built them herself.   
The Marooned Sailor is filled with all the sounds and smells that could be expected from such a place. Patrons and employees, both, greet Dorian as she walks through the crowded room and takes her usual seat at the bar.   
The bartender, Pete, stands behind the counter, polishing a glass, “You look like you’re ready to start a fight.”   
Dorian slammed a wrinkled piece of paper on the counter. A sinister portrayal of her likeness set in the center with a bounty for her arrest written below, as well as a description of her crimes.  
“Have you seen this bullshit?” She fumed.   
Taking the paper off the counter, Pete tried to hold back his laughter as he read the writing aloud,  
“Dorian Swan, Captain of The Dutchman’s Whore, is wanted for thievery, murder, smuggling, and pirating of the highest order.”  
A wide grin paints his face, “I really like the ‘pirating of the highest order’ bit.”  
She stared at him, unimpressed and irritated at the same time, “Sure, laugh all you want, but I’ve got things to do, I can’t have my face plastered all over the fucking place and be running from the law!”   
“You say that like you’ve never been a wanted criminal before, what’s so different this time?” Pete questioned. He knows Dorian is familiar with running from the law, any decent pirate could say the same. There are very few things Captain Dorian Swan worries about, and the law is not one of them.   
She looked around the room to see if anyone is listening, “A little bird told me about a chest filled to the brim with more treasure than a self-respecting pirate could dream of, problem is that the only one who knows where the chest is located is Black Bart.” Black Bart is quickly becoming Dorian’s white whale, and any good fisherman will tell you, catching fish is easier standing still.   
Pete wrinkles his brow, pinching the bridge of his nose, “Let me get this straight, you’re going after a chest filled with impossible amounts of treasure and Black Bart is the only one who has the location.”   
“Yes, and I can’t play hide and seek while tracking him down at the same time,” Dorian confirmed.  
“Yeah, I can see how that’s your biggest obstacle,” Pete remarked.   
The stories of Black Bart are the kind of tales that mothers tell their children to keep them on a path of decency and goodwill. If there is a list of pirates that no man should cross (and there is), Black Bart would be in the top three.   
She ignored him and moved on to thinking of a way to get herself out of this mess, “I need a cover job, something legitimate that would also help me stay out of range of the authorities.”   
The sound of unfamiliar footsteps grabbed Pete’s attention away from the conversation he was having with Dorian. The owner of those footsteps is a surprise to Pete and a blessing to Dorian.   
Cornelia Hemmings, the infamous Queen of Commerce, and William Bishop, her trusted Knight, found themselves in strange territory as every step took them closer to the barkeep of the grungy establishment that is The Marooned Sailor. Cornelia is no stranger to the convenience of employing pirates; William, on the other hand, is another story entirely. Pirates are an easy solution to a shortage in shipping crews, especially since pirates can be easily bought. A trait William does not admire, and Cornelia is willing to take full advantage of.  
Pete smirks as Cornelia reached the bar, “What business brings the Queen of Commerce into my hovel?”   
“I find myself in need of a ship and crew that is willing to choose gold over guilt,” Cornelia said.   
Dorian’s ears perked at the woman’s declaration, this could be her ticket to a legitimate business opportunity and the perfect cover to use while hunting her white whale. Pete noticed Dorian’s reaction to Cornelia’s comment and shared a knowing look with the pirate; he knows just the crew for the job. A slight nod of Pete’s head and Dorian kicks out a stool for Cornelia to sit on.   
“Please, take a seat your highness, you happen to be in the presence of a Pirate Captain with just the crew you need,” Pete said.   
Dorian watched how Cornelia reacted to Pete’s instruction, the woman was calm and sure of herself, something Dorian admired. Cornelia took her seat on the barstool, noticing the other woman at the bar watching her, “Would that pirate just so happen to be the woman seated next to me,” more of a statement than a question.   
Dorian turned in her seat to face Cornelia, “Captain Dorian Swan, at your service.”  
Cornelia held out her hand to Dorian, “Cornelia Hemmings, co-owner of Around the World, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”  
Dorian smiles flirtatiously, gently taking Cornelia’s hand and lifting it to her lips, never breaking eye contact, “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Hemmings.”  
William watched the interaction between the two women with cautious eyes, the unfamiliarity of the bar putting him on edge. He agreed to come with Cornelia on her outing to the most questionable part of the city, a decision that he is starting to think he should have reconsidered.  
Cornelia pulled her hand away, almost reluctant, “Is it safe to assume you have a ship and crew to go along with that title of yours?”  
Dorian noticed that William watching her closely, more cautious of her than Cornelia seemed to be, “That it is, although I’m guessing your guard dog doesn’t like pirates, and that might be a problem as my crew is filled to its entirety with pirates.”   
William huffed, ready to snap back at Dorian’s remark. Cornelia spoke before he could say anything, “He is my business partner, and the other owner of Around the World, William Bishop, and he will be perfectly civil with the makeup of your crew.”   
Dorian and William stared each other down, a silent argument the only thing between them. Cornelia doesn’t have time to debate with William about the morality of employing the first pirate they run into. If William could have it his way, he would rather go through official channels and wait until a shipping company wants to do business with them. Cornelia knows that if they wait for a shipping company to do business with them after all the corners she cut and the questionability of their goods, they would go bankrupt by the time a company even glanced in their direction. Cornelia may be the Queen of Commerce, but even queens need to face the consequences of their actions.  
She ignored the growing tension in the room and went on to explain the details of the job offer to Dorian, "Captain, I require a ship and crew to transport a large quantity of variable goods to a buyer in East Asia, the information of the buyer and the nature of the goods will be kept private and only known to William and I, I am willing to pay you and your crew one tenth of the resulting profit made from this delivery, and since I have no reason to trust you nor your crew, I will be joining you on this delivery to ensure that everything goes smoothly, these are our terms.”  
Dorian softens her gaze as she turns it on Cornelia, “As it would turn out, I also have a few terms of my own.”   
“How very typical,” William spat, disdain lacing his every word.  
“And if you want to employ my ship you will do well to consider them,” Dorian shot back.  
Cornelia folded her hands in front of her, “And what would these terms be?”   
“They’re quite simple, any danger regarding the delivery of these goods is to be made public to me and my crew, and, once under a signed contract, I shall be waved of all current criminal charges until the job is done,” Dorian stated.   
Cornelia looked to William, she knew he has no intention of bargaining with pirates and he knew she has no intention of finding a legitimate crew to do the job.   
“We agree to your terms,” Cornelia quickly stated before William had a chance to put his foot in his mouth and ruin their chance at acquiring a crew, “As soon as this contract is signed and sealed, I shall contact the Constabulary and make the according arrangements.”  
William was taken aback by Cornelia’s sudden agreement to the pirate’s terms. What Cornelia understood, and William doesn’t, is that not all pirates are willing to put their crew and ship on the line for unknown cargo that needs to be delivered across the open ocean.  
Dorian smirked and leaned forward, “You have a deal.”


End file.
